Forming a vitrified sample for electron microscopy

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method of forming a vitrified sample on a sample holder for inspection in an electron microscope. It is known to spray a solution on a grid and then immerse the grid in a cryogenic liquid, such as ethane or liquid nitrogen. The invention proposes to spray small droplets of the liquid on a cryogenic surface, such as a grid or a sample holder in vacuum. The liquid forms vitrified sample material when hitting the surface due to the low temperature of the grid or sample holder. 
     A lamella may be excavated from the thus formed sample material, to be studied in a TEM, or the vitrified sample material may be directly observed in a SEM. In an embodiment the material may be sprayed on a cryogenic liquid, to be scooped from the liquid and placed on a grid.

This Application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application61/597,955, filed Feb. 13, 2012, which is hereby incorporated byreference.

The invention relates to a method of forming an image of a vitrifiedsample, the method comprising:

-   -   Providing an aqueous solution comprising sample material,    -   Spraying the aqueous solution on a surface,    -   Solidifying the solution by cooling the solution,    -   Forming an image of the sample material in a sample chamber of a        charged particle microscope.

Such a method is known from “A second generation apparatus fortime-resolved electron cryo-microscopy using stepper motors andelectrospray”, H. D. White et al., J. Struct. Biol 144 (2003), pp246-252, further referred to as White [-1-].

When studying (imaging, analyzing) a sample in a transmission electronmicroscope (TEM) a beam of energetic electrons with a selectable energyof, for example, between 60 keV and 300 keV, irradiates a sample. Thesample should be sufficiently thin so that a large portion of theelectrons pass through the sample, to be imaged/detected. The imagingmay for example comprise imaging the electrons on a fluorescentmaterial, or imaging the electrons on a detector comprising, forexample, a CCD or CMOS chip.

As known to the skilled person similar imaging or analysis can beperformed by scanning a beam of energetic charged particles (electrons,ions, clusters) over the sample and observing the radiation emergingfrom the sample in response to the impinging charged particles. Such astudy is then performed in the evacuated sample chamber of an apparatusequipped with a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) column and/or aFocused Ion Beam (FIB) column.

For biological material it is necessary to study for example tissue inthe harsh environment of an electron microscope, i.e. in vacuum and athigh radiation levels. To that end the sample material is often cooledto a cryogenic temperature. Cooling biological material to cryogenictemperature involves more than just cooling the material, as coolingtypically results in damage of the sample material (cells, bacteria,viruses, or the like) by the formation of ice needles. As known to theperson skilled in the art the sample material should be embedded invitrified ice, which is an amorphous form of ice. Vitrified ice isformed by cooling an aqueous solution at a rate in the order of 10⁵ K/sto a temperature of less than the glass transition temperature ofapproximately 165 K. As an alternative vitrification is performed at apressure of approximately 2100 bar at a cooling rate of “only”approximately 600 K/s. As the cooling rate is lower, thicker vitrifiedsamples can be formed in this so-called High Pressure Freezing (HPF)process.

A cryogenic sample in vitrified ice is for example formed by applying athin layer of an aqueous solution on a carrier, for example a TEM grid.Excess water is then removed by blotting, and the remaining carrier withthe aqueous solution is then plunged in a cryogenic fluid, such asethane or liquid nitrogen. An example of an apparatus to perform thismethod is commercially available under the name Vitrobot, andmanufactured by FEI Company, Hillsboro, Oreg., USA.

In the method described by White [-1-] an aqueous solution comprisingsample material is sprayed on the carrier while the carrier (still atroom temperature) is moving to be plunged in the cryogenic fluid: inthis way processes can be arrested as they are frozen shortly afterbeing sprayed on the carrier.

The invention intends to provide an alternative method to form cryogenicsamples.

To that end the method according to the invention is characterized inthat the surface on which the solution is sprayed has a cryogenictemperature, as a result of which a vitrified sample is formed on thesurface at the moment the droplets hit the surface, and that thedroplets are sprayed on the cryogenic surface while in the samplechamber of the charged particle microscope.

The invention is based on the insight that, when spraying small dropletson a cryogenic surface, the droplets cool fast enough to solidify in theform of amorphous ice, thus forming a vitrified sample. As this is donein situ (in the charged particle microscope) the sample is preparedquick and in an environment where no ice can grow on the now cryogenicsample.

It is noted that it is estimated that for droplets with a diameter ofmore than 10 μm, the cooling of at least part of the droplet is too slowto form vitrified ice. Preferably a part of the droplets should thushave a diameter of less than 10 μm, more preferably less than 2 μm. Theexact maximum size of the droplets depends on the presence of, forexample, cryo-protectants, such as glycerol, glucol, or certainanti-freeze proteins. In the presence of such a cryo-protectant thediameter may be larger.

It is noted that at impact the presumably round droplet deforms to ashape that has a larger surface-to-volume ratio and less ‘thickness’,thus enhancing the cooling rate.

In an embodiment of the method according to the invention the aqueoussolution is sprayed on a sample holder, the sample holder kept at acryogenic temperature by contact with a cryogenic holding device.

The sample holder, for example a TEM grid or a SEM stub holder, ispreferably held by a cryogenic holding device, as a result of which thesample holder is cooled to a cryogenic temperature. In this way a samplecan be prepared on the sample holder, and then the sample holder can beremoved from the holding device, to be exchanged for another sampleholder for forming another sample.

The sample holder can be attached to the holding device with, forexample, electrostatic forces. However, other attachment methods, suchas clamping, may be used as well.

In a preferred embodiment the sample holder is a sample holder equippedto be used in an electron microscope.

In this embodiment the sample holder is the sample holder used in a SEM(often referred to as a stub holder) or a so-named grid for a TEM.

In another embodiment the vitrified sample is machined by slicing with,for example, a cryoultramicrotoom or by milling with a focused ion beam,thereby forming a sample in the form of a lamella. Samples in the formof a thin lamella's, with a thickness of less than 1 μm, more preferablyless than 200 nm, are used in Transmission Electron Microscopy. The thusformed lamella's may be mounted on a sample holder by attaching it to amanipulator that transports it to, for example, a TEM sample holder (a“grid”) and then attach it to the sample holder by, for example, beaminduced deposition (BID).

In yet another embodiment of the method according to the invention theaqueous solution is sprayed from a mixer. Such a mixer is known from“Monolithic microfluidic mixing—spraying devices for time-resolvedcryo-electron microscopy”, Z. Lu et al., J. Struct. Biol. 168 (2009),pages 388-395, further referred to as Lu [-2-]. Such a mixer enables themixing of chemicals with the aqueous solution milliseconds before thesample material is sprayed on the cryogenic surface, where the chemicalreactions are arrested.

This mixing may especially be attractive for embedding cells (or partsthereof) in water with cryoprotectant. When adding the cryo-protectantto the water just before spraying, the cryo-protectant does not havetime to enter the cell, and therefore the cell is seen in its naturalcondition, even when the water outside the cell contains acryo-protectant.

In still another embodiment of the method according to the invention thesample material is sprayed on a solid or liquid that melts, evaporatesor sublimates at a temperature below the glass transition temperature,the solid or liquid together with the sample material is put on a samplecarrier, and after putting the solid or liquid together with the samplematerial on the sample carrier the solid or liquid is removed.

Removal can take the form of evaporation, sublimation, or removing the(cryogenic) liquid by e.g. blotting.

When working in an environment of dry nitrogen, the aqueous solution canbe sprayed on liquid nitrogen, preferably non-boiling. Similarly ethanecan be used, in either an environment of dry ethane or nitrogen.

It is noted that this embodiment may be incompatible with a vacuumenvironment, as typically high vapor pressure occurs during removal ofthe solid or liquid.

The invention is now elucidated using figures, in which identicalreference numerals indicate corresponding features.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To that end:

FIG. 1 schematically shows a charged particle apparatus equipped with aGas Injection System,

FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C show SEM images of vitrified sample material.

FIG. 3 shows a shallow cup-shaped TEM sample holder for use withembodiment 5

EMBODIMENT 1

FIG. 1 schematically shows a first embodiment. A charged particleapparatus 100 equipped with a focused ion beam column (FIB column) 102for producing a beam of ions 104 and a scanning electron microscopecolumn (SEM column) 106 for producing a beam of electrons 108. Such acharged particle apparatus is commercially available as, for example, a3D Cryo DualBeam™ apparatus, and sold by FEI Company, Hillsboro, Oreg.,USA. An application note describing the apparatus is available on theinternet, see [-3-].

Such an instrument is equipped with a sample stage 110 that is equippedto be held at a cryogenic temperature, typically around −160° C. Thesample stage is equipped to hold sample holders 112 (also known as“stubs”) on which a sample is sprayer or otherwise mounted. The stage ispositioned in an evacuable sample chamber 114. A sample mounted on thestage can be machined (milled, sputtered) by the focused ion beam 104produced by the FIB column, and imaged using the focused electron beam108. Secondary radiation emerging from the sample as a result of theimpinging charged particles is detected by one or more detectors (notshown), such as a secondary electron detector or an X-ray detector.

Where prior art methods required that a sample was loaded in the vacuumchamber by placing the sample mounted on a sample holder on the samplestage, the method according to the invention forms the sample “in-situ”by spraying a jet of small droplets on the cryogenic sample holder 112

First experiments used a modified Gas Injection System (GIS) 116 asdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,850 to FEI Co, Hillsboro, USA. Such aGIS incorporates a hollow metal needle 118 with a diameter of between 1and 2 millimeter and one end is positioned close to the sample stage.The other end is via a plunger connected to a heatable volume (the“crucible”) where normally the material to be injected resides at apressure between 0.1 to 100 mbar (typically less than 1 mbar). It isnoted that the material to be injected is turned in a gaseous product byevaporation or sublimation. The plunger is opened to inject gas, andclosed to stop doing so. The GIS was modified, the modificationsinvolving:

-   -   locating an aperture with a diameter of 200 μm between the        plunger and the crucible    -   the needle was removed from the sample holder    -   the crucible plunger area was loaded with a suspension        comprising cells of baker's yeast (ca 1 ml)        The resultant modified GIS is schematically shown in FIG. 3.        Crucible 300 is partly filled with solution 302 comprising        sample material. Tube 304 connects the crucible with a valve        306. Through this valve liquid enters a tube 308 that feeds        through the vacuum wall of the electron microscope 310. The        liquid is then atomized when passing through a 200 μm aperture        in diaphragm 312. It is noted that a pressure difference is        present between the crucible and the aperture in the diaphragm,        as the crucible is at an internal pressure of between 0.1 to 100        mbar, while the aperture connects to the evacuated volume in        which the sample holder resides. The atomized suspension is then        sprayed on sample holder 314, that is kept at a temperature of,        for example, −160° C. The distance between the aperture in        diaphragm 312 and sample holder 314 is approximately 5 cm.

These modifications enabled the GIS to spray small volumes of thesuspension by shortly opening and almost immediately closing the GIS. Asa result of this a small amount of cell suspension formed of many tinydroplets was “sneezed” upon the sample holder.

The result of the spraying is shown in FIG. 2A and (more detailed) FIG.2B. FIG. 2A shows a field of view of approximately 2½×2½ mm². It shows afew large droplets 200 and 202. Droplet 200 seems to be flattened atimpact. The area 204 between the obviously covered part turns out to becovered by a very thin layer of ice, as shown in FIG. 2B. FIG. 2B showsa field of view of 25×25 μm², showing a thin layer 206 of ice in whichcells 208 are embedded. FIG. 2C shows an even further enlargementshowing a field of view of approximately 6×6 μm², in which, using afocused ion beam, a part of a cell is removed so that a cross section isvisible. It shows the amorphous ice matrix 206 and the cross section 210of a cell, showing among other its nucleus 212. No sign of ice needlesis found. It is expressly noted that these are the results of first,very crude, experiments, and that the limitations of these picturesshould not be taken as limitations of the methods according to theinvention.

EMBODIMENT 2

In a second embodiment the suspension is not sprayed on the cold surfacethrough a needle, but by a mixer like the one described by Lu [-2-] inits FIG. 1 and accompanying text. In this way changes in the fluid canbe made shortly before spraying the suspension on the cryogenic surface.

It is noted that also a heater can be incorporated to hold thesuspension in the mixer at a desired temperature of, for example, 37°C., or a desired lower or higher temperature.

It is further noted that the use of a gas for atomizing the fluid(suspension) implies that this embodiment is suited for use in aprotective atmosphere and less suited for use in a vacuum. However,provided that the pressure bursts of the gas atomizing the suspensionare modest and the vacuum system is tolerant to pressure bursts, such asused in for example an Environmental SEM, this embodiment may be used tospray the suspension on the sample holder in situ, that is: in theevacuated sample chamber of an Environmental SEM or another chargedparticle instrument equipped to deal with such pressures.

EMBODIMENT 3

In a third embodiment the suspension is sprayed on the surface usingelectrospraying, as described by, for example, White [-1-]. AlthoughWhite [-1-] proposes electro-spraying in a protective environment only,the person skilled in the art will realize that this can take place in avacuum as well, i.e. in the specimen chamber of an electron microscopeor, more general, of a charged particle apparatus.

It is noted that the opening from which the suspension emerges can be anozzle mounted on the mixer of embodiment 2, leading to a hybridembodiment.

EMBODIMENT 4

In this embodiment the aqueous solution is sprayed on a cryogenic liquidor cryogenic solid. The liquid or solid is characterized in that it canbe removed at a temperature below the glass transition temperature ofwater. This removal may be done by evaporating the fluid, bysublimation, by draining, or any other way. The frozen droplets can thenbe left on for example a—originally submerged—sample holder, or bescooped from the liquid. The cryogenic liquid can be for example liquidnitrogen or ethane.

EMBODIMENT 5

This embodiment is alike to embodiment 4, but here a TEM sample gridcomprising a grid with a thin film is kept on top of the fluid.

TEM carbon grids are commercially available where a carrier grid is usedto support a carbon film of only several micrometers thick, or evencomprising a graphene film (see for example the brochure of GrapheneLaboratories Inc., Calverton, N.Y., USA. As such a thin carbon filmhardly interacts with a beam of electrons, a sample placed on this filmcan be well imaged. Similarly grids with a thin Si₃N₄ film arecommercially available.

The problem when using such a grid for the method according to theinvention is that the heat capacity of the thin film is insufficient tocool the droplets to a temperature below the glass transitiontemperature.

Embodiment 5 solves this by keeping one side of the film in contact witha cryogenic liquid. In this way the thin carbon film is kept at a lowtemperature even when larger amounts of water are sprayed on the film.

It is noted that similarly the grid can be placed on a cold metalsurface, but that often the film is then frozen to the metal surface.

It is further noted that the grid can be formed as a shallow cup,minimizing the risk that some of the cryogenic liquid sloshes over thefilm. Such a cup can be made to float upon the cryogenic liquid.

EMBODIMENT 6

In a sixth embodiment a cryogenic surface is covered by vitrified samplematerial by one of the methods described earlier, after which samples,such as lamella, are formed from the vitrified sample material byexcavating the samples or lamella using a focused ion beam and freeingthe samples or lamellas from the cryogenic surface and transporting themto a (cryogenic) sample carrier, for example a TEM grid.

It is noted that prolonged spraying of the solution on the cryogenicsurface can lead to a thick layer of sample material from which thelamella can be excised.

It is further noted that other techniques, such as fluorescenttechniques, can be used to identify areas of interest on the layer ofsample material, after which lamella or samples can be taken from theseareas.

literature:

-   [-1-] “A second generation apparatus for time-resolved electron    cryo-microscopy using stepper motors and electrospray”, H. D. White    et al., J. Struct. Biol 144 (2003), pp 246-252.-   [-2-] “Monolithic microfluidic mixing-spraying devices for    time-resolved cryo-electron microscopy”, Z. Lu et al., J. Struct.    Biol. 168 (2009), pp 388-395.-   [-3-] Application note 3D Cryo-DualBeam™, FEI Co., Hillsboro, Oreg.,    USA:    http://www.fei.com/uploadedFiles/Documents/Content/2006_(—)06_(—)3D_Cyro_DualBeam_mb.pdf-   [-4-] Gas Injection System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,850.-   [-5-] Brochure of Graphene Laboratories Inc, Calverton, N.Y., USA:    http://www.graphene-supermarket.com/images/XC/TEM/GrapheneTEMgrids-General%20info.pdf

We claim as follows:
 1. A method of forming an image of a vitrifiedsample in a particle-optical apparatus, the particle-optical apparatusequipped with an evacuable sample chamber, the method comprising:providing an aqueous solution comprising sample material; sprayingdroplets of the aqueous solution on a surface, the surface being acryogenic surface in the evacuated sample chamber of theparticle-optical apparatus; forming a vitrified sample by rapidlycooling the solution, the vitrified sample being formed on the surfaceat the moment the droplets hit the surface; and forming an image of thevitrified sample with a particle-optical apparatus.
 2. The method ofclaim 1 in which at least part of the droplets have a diameter of lessthan 10 μm, as a result of which the at least part of the droplets formthe vitrified sample.
 3. The method of claim 1 in which the aqueoussolution is sprayed on a sample holder, the sample holder kept at acryogenic temperature by contact with a cryogenic holding device.
 4. Themethod of claim 3 in which the cryogenic holding device attracts thesample holder by electrostatic forces.
 5. The method of claim 3 in whichthe particle-optical apparatus is equipped with an electron microscopecolumn or an ion beam column.
 6. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising forming a sample in a shape of a lamella by machining thevitrified sample, wherein machining the vitrified sample comprisesslicing with a cryoultramicrotoom or milling with an ion beam.
 7. Themethod of claim 1 in which the aqueous solution is sprayed 1 from amixer equipped to mix fluids and to spray the aqueous solution on thesurface.
 8. The method of claim 1 in which the aqueous solution issprayed on the surface using electro-spraying.
 9. The method of claim 1in which the sample material is sprayed on the cryogenic surface usingan injection system equipped with a capillary.
 10. The method of claim 1in which the forming a vitrified sample by rapidly cooling the solutionand the forming an image of the vitrified sample with a charged particleapparatus occurs in the same particle-optical apparatus, withoutexposing the sample to an elevated pressure between the forming avitrified sample by rapidly cooling the solution and the forming animage of the vitrified sample.
 11. A charged particle apparatuscomprising: a stage positioned in an evacuable sample chamber; sampleholders for holding a surface, the sample holders attached to the stage,the sample holders configured to be kept at a cryogenic temperature; asprayer configured to spray an aqueous solution comprising samplematerial onto the surface such that a vitrified sample forms; aparticle-optical column configured to direct at least one beam ofparticulate radiation onto the vitrified sample such that radiation isemitted from the vitrified sample; and one or more detectors arranged todetect at least a portion of the emitted radiation.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 11 in which the sprayer comprises electro-spraying, spraying froma mixer equipped to mix fluids and to spray the aqueous solution on thesurface, or using an injection system equipped with a capillary.
 13. Theapparatus of claim 11 in which the sample holders are kept at thecryogenic temperature through contact with a cryogenic holding device.14. The apparatus of claim 13 in which the cryogenic holding deviceattracts the sample holder by electrostatic forces.
 15. The apparatus ofclaim 11 in which the particle-optical column comprises an ion beamcolumn or an electron microscope column.
 16. The apparatus of claim 13in which the at least one beam of particulate radiation can be used toprocess or image the vitrified sample.
 17. The apparatus of claim 11 inwhich the one or more detectors comprise secondary electron detectors orX-ray detectors.
 18. The apparatus of claim 11 in which the sprayer isconfigured to spray the aqueous solution comprising the sample materialas droplets, at least part of the droplets having a diameter of lessthan 10 μm, as a result of which the at least part of the droplets formthe vitrified sample.
 19. The apparatus of claim 16 configured to formthe vitrified sample and image the vitrified sample with the at leastone beam of particulate radiation in the same particle-optical apparatussuch that the vitrified sample is not exposed to an elevated pressurebetween forming the vitrified sample and imaging the vitrified sample.20. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a cryoultramicrotomconfigured to machine the vitrified sample to form a sample in the formof a lamella.